user, I am out of luck as far as using Sony's e-reader software. It won't install under Wine, it won't work in WinXP (as a virtual machine).

So how can I buy books from Sony? I had been planning on buying a Sony reading devise, perhaps the pocket reader-300. Don't know what to do now. Perhaps another device.

I'm using Ubuntu and Virtual box.

If what you want is available as Epub, you have options.

Under Linux (Ubuntu and Puppy) and Windows as well, I use an open source ebook viewer called FBReader. FBReader handles Epub and MobiPocket formats, among others. It also handles documents converted for the Plucker offline HTML viewer for PalmOS, which is a win for me as I have a Palm OS device running Plucker and about 3,600 volumes converted for it.

It's not quite as polished as dedicated readers intended for those formats, but does a serviceable job. It doesn't handle DRM, so you'll need DRM free content, but it's a handy application to have around.

Well... for non-DRM'd epub files, you can download with Linux and use almost any reader to view them, but for DRM'd epubs you have to use ADE (Adobe Digital Editions) which pretty much requires Windows or Mac. I haven't heard of ADE running under Wine, but my info may be incorrect.

As for virtualization, there are several software packages that can handle it. I have Windows XP running in VMware Workstation, but you should also be able to use VMware Server, which is free. You can then use the Sony Reader software, which sucks IMHO, or ADE to buy any DRM'd ebook. Then use ineptepub (Google it) to strip the DRM and transfer to Calibre. That's what I do, no problems.

Hope this helps.

Update: I just checked and see that Crossover Linux by Codeweavers can run ADE. I have it, but never thought to check if it works

I'll try to get things working some time this week and get back with my results. I can't ditch XP completely due to work, but if this works, I'll have one fewer thing I need it for

I can't comment on ADE under Wine, but ADE under Crossover works a charm. I have bought books and put them on my reader without issue. I have an Astak Pocket Pro, and the closest thing I had to a problem with ADE under Crossover was I needed to mount the Pocket Pro THEN run ADE, otherwise ADE didn't detect the reader.

So in point form;
- ADE installed under Crossover.
- My computer and reader were authorised without question
- I was prompted last week to update ADE (ADE would close if I didn't update it). Worked fine (needed to download setup.exe and re-run that in my ADE bottle).
- Have bought books etc and all have worked without issue.

I have not been able to (like the OP) get the Sony bookstore software to install under Crossover or run under a virtual machine.

What in particular doesn't work? I do have the SONY reader installed under Linux/VituralBox/Winsows XP and my PC is registered? I can buy and download books from the app. The only thing I've not tired is to use the app to copy over ebooks to my reader. The SONY app is not ideal it is sluggish and buggy

Personally I think the Kindle 4 PC is much better and works in Wine with no issues, even the DRM! The app is quite responsive.

The main app is just to read books to buy books from amazon you use their web page. Registering your PC is straight forward just install the app and link it to your amazon account.

What in particular doesn't work? I do have the SONY reader installed under Linux/VituralBox/Winsows XP and my PC is registered? I can buy and download books from the app. The only thing I've not tired is to use the app to copy over ebooks to my reader. The SONY app is not ideal it is sluggish and buggy

Personally I think the Kindle 4 PC is much better and works in Wine with no issues, even the DRM! The app is quite responsive.

The main app is just to read books to buy books from amazon you use their web page. Registering your PC is straight forward just install the app and link it to your amazon account.

=X=

The actual install of the Sony App (IIRC it installs but when you run it nothing happens). What version VB and Sony App are you using?

The actual install of the Sony App (IIRC it installs but when you run it nothing happens). What version VB and Sony App are you using?

VB = 3.14 R57640
Sony = 3.1.00.12040

Interesting enough I just downloaded the latest Kindle for PC. I.E. post Beta 1 while the beta 1 works flawlessly on Wine, the newest version does not run under wine. It's a good thing I did not delete the Beta 1 executable.